Valentine chocolate heart cake pop recipe

Fun Valentine food gifts
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You need specific cake decorating products to make a cake pop - find out where to buy them here.
Materials:
Cake pop mixture (use this basic cake pop recipe)
Cocoa melting candy
Chocolate (brown) buttercream/frosting
Sugar sprinkles in pink
Rice paper
Pink modelling paste
Piping gel Edible lustre sprays in gold and pink
Lollipop sticks
Tools:
Polystyrene block
Disposable piping bag
No. 42c piping tube
Non-stick rolling pin 23cm
Heart cutter 3cm
Circle cutter 5cm
Blossom plunger 1cm
Non-stick board
Small scissors
Scallop tool/spoon
Greaseproof paper
Baking tray

Instructions:
1 Prepare the cake pop following this basic cake pop recipe, and using a 3cm heart cutter. Prepare some cocoa melting candy and secure the lollipop stick to the pop using the technique explained in the basic cake pop recipe. Make sure the stick is inserted into the middle of the flat base of the heart shape and be careful not to push it in too far. Chill flat on greaseproof paper on a baking tray in the fridge.

2 Dip each heart pop into the melted candy and return to the fridge to set.

3 Place a 5cm (2in) circle cutter on to a piece of rice paper and use a pencil to draw around it. Use plain or decorative craft scissors to cut out the shape and snip a small ‘x’ to create a hole in the centre, or use a hole punch. Spray the rice paper with a mixture of pink and gold lustre sprays and leave to dry.

4 Thread the coloured rice paper circle on to the prepared cake pop stick, through the ‘x’ or hole, and secure with a little buttercream.

5 Cut off the end of a disposable piping bag and place a no. 42c piping tube inside. Fill with a little buttercream of a medium consistency. Pipe a line along the top and base edges of the cake. Touch the piping tube to the pop, apply pressure to the bag, lift slightly and allow the line of icing to drop on to the pop, whilst turning the stick in the other hand.

6 Paint a little piping gel on to the top of the cake and transfer sugar sprinkles on to the gelled area using a scallop tool or spoon.

7 Roll out some pink modelling paste on a non-stick board and using a 1cm medium blossom plunger, stamp out a number of blossoms. Secure these on to the mini cake using a little buttercream. Pipe a buttercream centre in the middle of each one. Leave to dry in a polystyrene block.

TIP: Get creative and try different piped designs and add ready-made heart sprinkles for speed and impact.

Extract from Celebration Cake Pops by Paula MacLeod, £4.99, Search Press